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PRODUCER'S NOTES: 'BAD BLOOD', TAYLOR SWIFT

You’ve told us that learning rock and pop music is about so much more than just playing the notes on a page, and so to give you the full Rock & Pop experience and make sure you’re getting the most out of the new song lists on the Rock & Pop 2018 syllabus, we’re bringing you Producer's Notes on a range of featured songs.

‘You’re actually playing real songs and you can learn about the artist, the history, and the impact the song had’ – Gabriel, Grade 7 Drummer

And this time we’re looking at Taylor Swift’s ‘Bad Blood’.

Why ‘Bad Blood’?

Not only did it claim the No. 1 chart spot in the USA, Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand and Scotland, the song racked up a host of awards including the 2015 MTV Europe Music Awards’ Best Song, 2015 MTV Video Music Award’s Best Collaboration, and Most Performed Song at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards 2016. Getting 20 million views in the space of 24 hours, the song’s video was especially lauded, with awards including MTV Video of the Year 2015 and Best Music Video at the 2016 Grammys.

‘A lesson in how to write and perform songs that seemingly have instant and universal appeal’

As such, it was an obvious inclusion in the Vocals syllabus, according to Rock & Pop 2018 consultant Chris Walters: ‘‘Bad Blood’ was released as the fourth single from Taylor Swift’s fifth album, 1989. The album topped both the US and UK album charts and won Album of the Year at the 2016 Grammys. Swift’s music is a lesson in how to write and perform songs that seemingly have instant and universal appeal’. The song also presents singers with some great challenges: ‘It offers few moments of rest for the vocalist. It challenges you to build your stamina so that you can maintain force and energy. You’ll also need good control of range, which in this song spans more than an octave. Perhaps the most important requirement is to sing with attitude!’